Another Lifetime
by merlucadevotion
Summary: What if the mystery photo Andi discovered was of another woman? A Bex Mack one shot.


Bex and Andi spent the afternoon rummaging through boxes filled with old memories and everything was surprisingly going well..until it wasn't.

This was pretty much the story of Bex's life at this point and something that had become so routine that it hardly fazed her...except when it came to Andi.

Andi placed her hand into the pop tart box that was now empty and pulled out a photo. She studied the photo which showed a young woman who looked to be around Bex's age.

The woman in the photo had brown skin, curly black hair, gorgeous almond brown eyes, and the brightest smiled that seemed to radiate through the photo.

Andi looked up from the photo to Bex whose expression had completely changed to something resembling panic or apprehension. "Who's this girl?"

Bex attempted to appear nonchalant as she quickly snatched the photo from Andi. "Nothing. It's no one. Hey, do you want pizza? 'Cause man I'm starving."

Seeing right through this act, Andi crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Bex..you're trying to change the subject. Who's this girl? Why don't you wanna talk about her?"

Bex sighed, looking down at the suddenly interesting scruff marks on the top of her shoes. "Her name is Jasmine. She's just another person from my past"

"Did she die..?" questioned Andi. She couldn't quite understand why Bex was reacting in such a way over a picture.

"No, no. She didn't die.." Bex hesitated before she continued. "Jasmine and I..we were..more than just friends. Let's put it that way"

"So...you're-" Andi started before Bex cut her off.

"Bisexual. Yes. I'm attracted to both men and women" replied Bex. She finally looked up into her daughter's eyes for a reaction.

This was hardly a newfound revelation for Bex..she had known this since she was at least 15. Despite that, a part of her did worry about how Andi would take the news. She didn't mean to drop so many bombshells all at once.

"Why were you trying to hide it though? Are you ashamed?" asked Andi.

"It's not that I'm ashamed. It's just..it's complicated" explained Bex.

Andi nodded. "Does Cece know?"

"No. She doesn't. And I'd like to keep it that way." said Bex. "Only Dad knows. I came out to him when I was younger." Although that particular memory which consisted of Bex locked in the laundry room with her Dad on Thanksgiving crying her eyes out after a fight with her Mom, wasn't a memory that Bex was too keen to look back on.

Andi stood there for a moment in deep thought before she spoke up again. "I guess I can maybe understand why you wouldn't want to tell Cece but.. I don't think who you choose to love should be a reason for her to love you any less."

Bex couldn't help but smile at the intelligence her daughter possessed at such a young age. "You're right, Andiman, it shouldn't be."

Andi wrapped her arms around Bex in a loving embrace. "I love you"

Bex hugged her even tighter. "I love you more"

Andi left the room to go do homework a short time after that which left Bex alone with her thoughts.

Suddenly, the memories flooded every inch of her mind and it was like it had all happened yesterday.

She remembered that music festival in Nevada where she met Jasmine.

They first encountered each other when two drunk douchebags wouldn't leave Bex alone so Jasmine stepped in.

That was the type of person Jasmine was. She was sweet but assertive when she needed to be.

Not to mention one of the first things Bex noticed about her was how insanely gorgeous she was. With her deep brown eyes that Bex felt instantly entranced by as well as her perfectly full lips that she found herself so desperately wanting to kiss.

Jasmine has offered to smoke her out and give her a place to crash, so they spent the better half of that night in a tent getting high, talking about music or whatever came to mind.

She could never forget their first kiss, the way it lingered, the desire felt by the both of them.

From that night on and for the next three years, Bex and Jasmine were inseparable. They spent most of their time in Jasmine's lime green Volkswagen traveling from state to state to attend various concerts, festivals, or simply to explore different places.

Their days and nights filled with laughter, music, and plenty of passionate love making. Jasmine was the first girl that Bex had ever been with, she was the one who helped Bex to become comfortable and content with who she truly was.

After getting to know Jasmine, she came to realize they were practically cut from the same cloth, both had an adventurous, free-spiritedness about them as well as both being brought up by strict, overbearing mothers. Jasmine understood Bex in a way that no one ever had before.

Even after she mustered the courage to tell her about Andi, she didn't run or step back. She accepted every part of Bex.

Everything thing was great..until it wasn't.

"I want a real future with you, Bex. Why don't you want this? I thought you loved me.." Bex would never forget those words. The pain that now dimmed Jasmine's once sparkling eyes, the hurt so evident in her trembling voice.

Jasmine wanted to commit to Bex and make what they shared into something permanent. Bex wanted this too, but a big part of her simply wasn't ready. Becoming more serious would mean having to officially come out to those closest to her and she just couldn't do it. At least not then.

Whenever she did decide it was ready..she knew it would be too late.

Now, Bex was picturing the very last day she saw Jasmine.

The women were at a motel somewhere in California where Jasmine was hastily packing her bags into the trunk of her car.

Bex looked down in her hand at the train ticket back home to Utah. Andi's birthday was coming up soon.

"Jasmine.." Bex spoke softly, grasping at her hand.

Jasmine sighed, placing a hand on Bex's cheek and softly kissing her goodbye.

"Goodbye, Bex. I hope you get to be with your daughter soon and...I wish you the best of luck in life. I really mean that"

Within the blink of an eye Jasmine was taking off down the road as Bex watched, tears burning in her eyes, until the car disappeared further and further out of sight.

And just like that..she was gone from Bex's life forever.

Back in present time, Bex sat on a chair surrounded by boxes, her face buried in her hands as she tried to stop the tears from falling.

Just then, Andi tapped lightly on the door. "Hey, Bex..maybe that pizza you were talking about isn't such a bad idea after all?" said Andi with a smile.

Bex smiled as she stood up, wrapping an arm around Andi's shoulder. "You know what? You're right, that does sound good. I'm so glad I have you, Andi."

"You'll always have me" replied Andi, resting her head in Bex's shoulder.


End file.
